Pack for use in refrigeration anesthesia



March 30, 1948. H, E. MOORE PACK FOR USE IN REFRIGERATION ANESTHESIA Filed 001;. 5, 1944 v INVENTOR. flEA/aoJfl-i BY Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACK FOR USE IN REFRIGERATION ANESTHESIA Hazel E. Moore, Oakland, Calif. Application October 3, 1944, Serial No. 557,012 2 Claims. (01. 62-1) 7 This invention relates to a method and means for producing refrigeration anesthesia on localized parts or areas of the human body or the like.

The use of refrigeration anesthesia is a comparatively new technique in the science of sur-' gery and medical treatment. This technique provides a complete local anesthesia. Not only the nerves, but the whole living tissue substance is placed in frozen sleep with consequent freedom from pain and shock. Urgent operations may be postponed for longer periods and greater safety. Under the degree of cold that may be produced bacteria growth is materially checked, infection minimized, and the local metabolism is reduced to a point at which even a damaged blood supply may be sufficient to nourish the surviving tissue.

Refrigeration anesthesia is produced at the present time by placing crushed ice or iced packs directly in contact with the part or area of the human body upon which surgery is to be performed. It must remain there until the temperature of the localized area has been sufiiciently cooled or reduced, and as the ice melts as it absorbs heat, water is continuously running 01f and wetting the mattress and bedding, particularly if the patient is bed-ridden.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify both the method and means whereby localized anesthesia by refrigeration is accomplished; to provide a method of cooling a localized area whereby the leakage or release of water is entirely eliminated; to pro- Vide a method whereby a cooling agent may be more efficiently applied to the area or part to be cooled; to provide a cooling or heat absorbing agent whereby temperatures below that of the melting point of ice may be maintained and a more rapid cooling effected; to provide a cooling or heat absorbing agent in the form of a pad, said pad containing an absorbent material adapted to be substantially saturated with brine or a like solution, said pad retaining its shape both in its frozen and melted state and liberating none of the brine when melted; and further, to provide a pad or pack consisting of a series of hingedly connected sections, each containing an absorbing material, said hingedly connected sections providing flexibility to permit the pad in its frozen state to be wrapped about or maintained in contact with the area to be cooled.

The method and means employed is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a human leg showing the application of one of the packs.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pack partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross section of a portion of the pack shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a modified form of pack particularly intended for application to flat or seemingly flat surfaces such as the back or chest, etc.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a shoulder pack; and,

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section of a two compartment pack.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Figs. 2 and 3, A indicates in general a pack which consists of two sections of a suitable cloth or fabric such as indicated at 2 and 3. These fabric sections are sewn or stitched transversely to form a series of compartments 4 which are filled with saw-dust or any other suitable liquid absorbing material such as indicated at 5. There are two spaced apart sewn seams 6 and 7 between two compartments and these seams, together with the fabric between the seams form a flexible or hinge-like connection between these compartments. These hinge-like connections are important and will be hereinafter more fully described.

In Fig. -2 the seams 6 and I are disposed on an angle or bias to the sides 9 and I!) of the pack, and it is of course understood that there are seams I I running parallel to the sides so as to close theends of the respective compartments. Also it will be noted that two spaced apart seams I 4 and M extend centrally and longitudinally of the pack, thus forming a longitudinally extending flexible or hinge-like connection intermediate the compartments and in addition to the flexible connections formed between them.

In Fig. 4 a plurality of spaced seams extend longitudinally of the pack as indicated at is and a plurality of spaced seams I! are also provided which extend transversely of the pack, thus forming a series of compartments which are hingedly connected at their sides and ends and I compartment knee as shown in Fig. 1, while the pack shown in Fig. 4 is more suitable for applications, for instance to the'back, chest or abdomen.

The pack shown in Fig. 5 is intended for a shoulder pack and may be tied in place as shown at H! or the like. In this pack the spaces 4a indicate the compartments containing the absorbent and the spaces 6a the flexible or hinge-like connections between them. In'i iigi ifi :aztwopack is shown. One compartment, for instance the one indicated at 20, may be em- 7 sured and quicker cooling efiected. As the pads ployed to receive an ice bag -2l, while the compartment 22 may contain a pack 23:-containing a liquid absorbent. The fabric forming the twocompartment pack The several types of packs shown arebyway of illustration only, have been designed. The important feature to bear in mind is that hinge-like or flexiblecom nections must be provided between the compartmay berubberized if desired,

as many othertforms mayiiand ments containing the absorbentras therr acks are wrapped around th'el leg {and knee 1 arid 'even though 'it s" frozen stiff as tween the compartments will remain" flexible.-' lfi'actual' Practice the S sol-bent is *usedf may be' a-wdust, if "that type at saturated with-water,

or it-may beis'aturated with a brine solution of any 'strength "desired. If obviously Where greater degree-bf cold is j desired, the

brineysoliition will te mp o ea. ror instance; a:

weak sf lutionj mayf freeze? at 30'- 'F., a stronger solutionat" '28-E';'= and so on, the temperature o'e- V I -'water is used, itwill} ecomeg-frozen at a temperature of '-is sufficiently 'c'old for-"many uses.

quir'ed for-the pack determining the strength of r the solution. V H

The 'bias arrangement of the" compartments shown "inflthe pack-of Fi where spiral*wrappingis' required as shownin Fig." 1. This'arrangerlient is' not-required for other 1115615. For instance, shoulderof a person is of pack shown in Fig.1 5,

are constructed of ordinary cloth or fabric, and sawdust or like absorbent is used in conjunction therewith, it is obvious that they may be boiled or sterilized as often as necessary. The packs have many uses, for instance:

1. To obtain anesthesia for amputation of limbs and many minor surgical procedures;

'*2. '.'Io. cool limbs or areasof the body inflicted with overwhelming infection;

.3. To diminish pain following trauma; 4. To diminish pain in extremities followin operations; 1

15. 1'10 treat certain cases of'concussion and fevers "The above enumerated uses are merely a few i-ofztheznumerous applications to which the pad may .be,put. Any suitable type of refrigerator maybe employed to coolithe packs to any degree desired, but obviously a refrigerator of sufficient capacity-should be employed-to: permit a considerable' number to" be contained therein-at the same tirne so that a suffici'ent supply will be at hand for each caseas it may be. Thus, after a pad'has been applied and has reached the melt,- ing=point-orclose thereto, another pack-may be talken'from' the refrigerator and applied and so on until the limb orpart tobe" cooled has reached thetemperature to" be desired. While these and other features of my invention have been more or-"less-specifically described w and illustrated I nevertheless wish it understood; that the mate V rials-aridfinish of-the several parts-employed maywbe-Changedto suit varying conditions and that other changes may be resorted to within the scope offthe appended claims] l Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. Aipack forusein refrigeration anesthesia comprising an absorbent -material in the 'form of sawdust; a fabricmaterial confining the absorbent," said .fabric having sewed -seamsforming a plurality "of compartments 7 each containing the absorbent and the 'fabricbetween the 'compartments .forming. flexible connections between; them, and aflbrineesolutionsubstantially satu- 7 rating the fabric and.the absorbent.

2. A pack for. use in' refrigeration;anesthesia comprising an-absorbent material in the form-of application'j to the; taken care or by the type arid abdominal pack,- as

shownginfFig. 4.. 'An ordinary-ice pack in' combination with an absorbent pack maybe applied when adouble container is us'ed, 1 as shown in Fig. 6, and substantially' any be'ibbtainedJby varying the-strength-pfthe brine solution.

degree bf c'old' may I nimsmrei rdie been 'stated' that the absorb- V ent'lmaterial placed in the compartments; whether'it be'fsawdust;or otherwise, "is substantially saturated" with V aliquid; for instance "water or brinemrpth'erwi'se; Itjshould;" however, be understoodithat the 'd'egree 'of saturation isless than complete"saturation so that there will be no .tendency'ior water or brine'to run 'off or'drip whenfthe' pad has absorbedits maximum' quantity of heat. By maintaining the saturation less'than full, saturation, it is. obyiousthat the wetting of mattresses, bedding and so" on is entirely avoided and'thatlduejtotheflexibility or the pads-better be cooleci'is'incontact with th'epartor area to the. sides of the, strips,

0 filei' of this patent sawdust;two sheets of pervious .fabric material covering and confining the absorbent, said sheets formingilong strips sewed along their sides and ends toconfine the absorbent, pairs of closely spaced seamsisewed on the bias crosswise of the strips and divi compartments with hinges between the pockets,

. a pair ofclosely. spacedseams sewed longitudinally .onlthe strips and centrally'with relation to said seams dividing the pockets, transversely and forming hinges between v the pockets, said absorbentpmaterial and'fabric adaptedto be saturated with a brine solution and securingmeans at each end of the strips.

r 'H iz' nMooRn. V REFERENCES: CITED are'of record inthe V The afollowing references 7 v UNITED STATES. PATENTs ding the strips into transverse' Robertson Jan 9,1'1945'5 

